Schempp-Hirth Ventus-3

Ventus-3
Schempp-Hirth Ventus 3T glider at Lasham Airfield
Role 18 metre-class sailplane
National origin Germany
Manufacturer Schempp-Hirth
First flight 2016
Number built 7

The Schempp-Hirth Ventus-3 is a sailplane produced by Schempp-Hirth. It will replace the highly successful Schempp-Hirth Ventus-2.

Design and development

It was announced at the AERO Friedrichshafen in April 2015 where a mock-up was suspended from the ceiling of the exhibition hall. The prototype flew on 29 January 2016 at Flugplatz Hahnweide at Kirchheim unter Teck in Germany. The prototype was originally a pure glider but it has since been fitted with a sustaining two-stroke 'turbo' motor. Production of the first seven turbo Ventus 3T started on 28 April 2016. These competed in the World Gliding Championships and the European Gliding Championships. In the latter competition, pilots with Ventus 3T took the first three places in the 18m Class.

Two sizes of fuselage are now available, Sport and Performance; the latter is larger. Production models of the Sport fuselage will be available as a pure glider, or with a turbo sustaining engine, or a front-end electric sustaining (FES) engine. Currently the larger fuselage is only available for the self-launching 'M' version.

The first version of the Sport fuselage with the FES engine, Ventus 3F, first flew December 2017. The first version with the Performance fuselage, Ventus 3M, also flew in December 2017.

Features include 'bug-wiper' garages recessed in the fuselage. There are two ballast tanks (one 58 litres and one 38 litres) in each wing which are filled from the wing-tip and two tanks in the fin. 15m tips are available.

Specifications (Ventus-3 Sport Edition with 18m wings)

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Capacity: kg ( lb) water ballast
  • Length: 6.63 (Sport) m (21 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 18.00 m (59 ft 0.7 in)
  • Wing area: 10.84 m2 (116.68 ft2)
  • Aspect ratio: 29.9
  • Empty weight: 300 kg (661 lb)
  • Gross weight: 600 kg (1323 lb)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 280 km/h (174 mph)

Either the turbo engine or the FES engine adds 50kg to the empty weight given above

Specifications (Ventus-3 Performance Edition with 18m wings)

General characteristics

  • Crew: One
  • Capacity: kg ( lb) water ballast
  • Length: 6.63 (Sport) m (21 ft 9 in)
  • Wingspan: 18.00 m (59 ft 0.7 in)
  • Wing area: 10.84 m2 (116.68 ft2)
  • Aspect ratio: 29.9
  • Empty weight: 320 kg (705 lb)
  • Gross weight: 600 kg (1323 lb)

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 280 km/h (174 mph)

The weight of the engine option should be added to the empty weights above

Mock-up of Ventus 3 at Aero Expo 2015

References

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